Topic: Playback volume levels vs. digital input over USB or S/PDIF optical

Hi forum,

This is to ask whether I can pre-set and utilise different volume output levels at my RME ADI-2 DAC FS, depending on whether the active source is connected by USB or S/PDIF optical. Sofar, I have used this DAC only (and to my great satisfaction) in combination with an Apple Mac Mini M1, which is connected via USB, and acts as music server by running HQPlayer 4 Desktop. The latter music player not only takes care of upsampling and filtering, but also controls the output volume. Hence, the volume knob of the ADI-2 DAC is never touched – it is set at - 25.0 dBr with the output reference level at - 5 dBu (Auto), and that’s it. With output levels set in HQPlayer between - 12 and - 8 dBu I get volume levels that I find pleasant and by which I don’t force my choice of music upon my neighbours.

However, earlier this week I connected the ADI-2 DAC with my Arris VIP 5202 radio and television tuner, such by means of an optical Toslink cable. With the volume knob of the ADI-2 DAC still at - 25.0 dBr and other parameters unaltered, changing the input source at the DAC from USB to optical, leads to a volume level that is not only much too loud for me, but which has also proven sufficient to see my cats flee up the attic in horror. Obviously, in terms of volume levels, there’s quite some difference between the output of HQPlayer and the audio signal as provided over glass by my internet, television and telephony provider. Volume levels cannot be adjusted at the abovementioned Arris tuner itself; this is nothing more than a little black box with ethernet in, and HDMI and optical out. What I could do to remediate things is of course dialling down volume levels at the DAC to about - 40.0 / - 45.0 dBr, every time before I change the input source at the DAC from USB to optical (and the other way round back to - 25.0 dBr again, when playing music with HQPlayer over USB). This, though, is not the approach I’d prefer, and hence I am wondering whether there’s not a smarter solution possible.

In order to solve this problem, I did ‘RTFM’ and worked my way through RME’s excellent user guide for the ADI-2 DAC FS, in which mention is made of ‘reference levels’ (‘ref levels’). I don’t, however, immediately see how I can put these to my advantage and get at more or less the same playback volume level, regardless of whether the signal the DAC is fed with comes over USB or optical. Any ideas or suggestions as to the direction in which I should look for a solution will be warmly welcomed. Should additional information be needed with respect to my set up, feel free to let me know.

Cheers,

Simon

Re: Playback volume levels vs. digital input over USB or S/PDIF optical

You could use “Setups” to change the input from USB to Optical.
See manual page 29.

Re: Playback volume levels vs. digital input over USB or S/PDIF optical

Hi KaiS,

Thank you very much for your reply, and for pointing out a possible solution. I did follow your suggestion by saving two different setups, one titled ‘USB’ and the other ’S/PDIF’. As part of the first, the volume level is set at - 25 dBu, and the second results in a volume setting of - 40 dBu. When fiddling with the two small encoders 1 and 2, I am indeed able to switch between the settings that should apply when I am either playing back music with my Mac Mini M1 as the source, or over optical with the radio and television tuner as the source.

So, from a technical point of view, this solution works. Practically spoken, though, it makes my problem even a bit worse. This, because far easier than pressing function key ‘Setup’ and using the two small encoders to invoke saved setting ‘USB’ or ’S/PDIF’, is simply giving the volume knob a sweep, and either turn the volume up or down to the desired level. And, working with saved setups this way still forces me to manually change things at the DAC itself, where I hoped for a solution that made a change in volume automatically annex with pressing either the ‘Optical’ or ‘USB’ button of the remote control.

Up till now, I haven’t found such a solution, and any suggestions to that end are still warmly welcomed. In an attempt to get as close as possible, however, I started playing with the possibility to remap function keys 2 (below ‘Optical’) and 3 (below ‘USB’) at the remote. To the first I assigned saved setup ‘S/PDIF’, and to the latter saved setup ‘USB’. It’s exactly at this point that I ran in trouble, though. With the DAC connected over USB and the display showing the correct volume, clock setting and sample rate, pressing function key 2 nicely resulted in the settings applicable to when I am playing over optical with the tuner as a source. But, and this is where I got completely lost, when I subsequently pressed function key 3, the result was not what I expected, given the saved setup that I attached to it. Instead, this key happened to function again according to its default setting (‘AutoDark’). Checking via ’Setup’, ‘Options’, ‘Remap Keys’ indeed showed that both remapped function keys had reverted back to their default settings, and no saved setups were attached to them any longer. I have repeated this process several times by again assigning saved setup ‘USB’ or ’S/PDIF’ to them, but each time with the same surprising outcome. With other words, I am able to remap function keys, but utilising them works only once: right when the alternate remapped function key is pressed it shows that both function keys have reverted back to their default state, with which I am back at square one.

So, my follow-up question will surprise no-one: how do I permanently remap the function keys of my remote control, without all of them losing their newly assigned function the very first time either of them is pressed?.

Cheers,

Simon

4 (edited by ramses 2021-11-15 11:57:13)

Re: Playback volume levels vs. digital input over USB or S/PDIF optical

> [...]  indeed showed that both remapped function keys had reverted back to their default settings,
> and no saved setups were attached to them any longer.  [...]

Are you sure that you saved the two configs properly ?

I used myself 4 different setups to be able to switch between 4 different D/A filters.
And this worked very nicely.
But ofc each of the 4 setups need to have the key remappings.
Best is to finalize one setup, e.g. setup 1 incl. the key remappings.
This you save to setup 2 (in my case also 3 and 4).

Then in the other setup(s) you configure and save only the required delta.
This also saves some time and avoids errors.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

5 (edited by KaiS 2021-11-13 13:25:52)

Re: Playback volume levels vs. digital input over USB or S/PDIF optical

Quokka_61 wrote:

...I started playing with the possibility to remap function keys 2 (below ‘Optical’) and 3 (below ‘USB’) at the remote. To the first I assigned saved setup ‘S/PDIF’, and to the latter saved setup ‘USB’. It’s exactly at this point that I ran in trouble, though. With the DAC connected over USB and the display showing the correct volume, clock setting and sample rate, pressing function key 2 nicely resulted in the settings applicable to when I am playing over optical with the tuner as a source. But, and this is where I got completely lost, when I subsequently pressed function key 3, the result was not what I expected, given the saved setup that I attached to it. Instead, this key happened to function again according to its default setting (‘AutoDark’). Checking via ’Setup’, ‘Options’, ‘Remap Keys’ indeed showed that both remapped function keys had reverted back to their default settings, and no saved setups were attached to them any longer...

The answer is simple:
Key mapping is part of each individual Setup, so you have to store the same key-mapping in both your USB AND S/PDIF Setups.

Even more elegant, you could i.e. map function key 2 only:
• In Setup “USB” key 2 would recall S/PDIF.
• In Setup “S/PDIF” key 2 would recall USB.

This way you get a single toggle-switch USB<>S/PDIF, smart and simple, isn’t it?!

Re: Playback volume levels vs. digital input over USB or S/PDIF optical

Hi ramses and KaiS,

Thank you very much for your help! After reading both your posts it dawned upon me that I indeed didn’t save my key remappings properly. The user manual doesn’t state this explicitly, but once you know, as you explained, that key remappings need to be saved as part of individual setups, the logic behind this becomes apparent. Brilliant, with a single key I am now able to let my ADI-2 DAC FS toggle between USB and optical and, while doing so, avoid the sudden leap in volume. Once again, thank you very much for putting me at the right trail!

Cheers,

Simon

Re: Playback volume levels vs. digital input over USB or S/PDIF optical

> [...]  it dawned upon me [...]

nicest moments wink

> Once again, thank you very much for putting me at the right trail!

You're welcome, if anything is still unclear, you know where to find help wink

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

8 (edited by hberg 2021-11-16 21:36:37)

Re: Playback volume levels vs. digital input over USB or S/PDIF optical

Hi
I have to double press the remote function keys to confirm the setup load. Is there a setting for single press?

9

Re: Playback volume levels vs. digital input over USB or S/PDIF optical

Sorry, no.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME